Electric-circuit closer for looms.



No. 692,929. Pa tented Feb. n, 1902 H. w. smnn.

ELECTRIC CIRCUIT CLOSER FOR LOUMS.

(Application filed Feb. 23. 1900.)

(No Model.)

w: "cams wzrzas 0a.. Fum'ounm WASHINGTON, n c.

NITED TATES PATENT FFICE.

HARRY WV. SMITH, OF WVOROESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

ELECTRIC-CIRCUIT CLOSER FOR LOOMS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPatent No. 692,929, dated February 1 1, 1902.

Application filed February 23, 1900. Serial No. 6,183. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY W. SMITH, aeitizen of the United States, residing at Worcester, in the county of Worcester and Commonwealth of Massachusettsflrave invented a new and useful Improvement in Electric-Circuit Closers for Looms, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same, in which- Figure 1 represents a side elevation of one end of a loom-lathe with a shuttle-box mounted thereon. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a side view of my improved circuitclosing device carried by a shuttle with the loom-shuttle and weft on the bobbin represented in outline bybroken lines, and Fig. etis an end view of my circuit-closing device with the outline of the shuttle shown by broken lines.

Similar reference-figures refer to similar parts in the different views.

My present invention relates to a device for closing an electric circuit at a predetermined point in the delivery of the weft from the bobbin, whereby the circuit is closed before the operation of weaving is interrupted by the entire removal of wet't from the bobbin; and

my present invention is designed for use in that class of looms in which the operation of auxiliary mechanismsuch, for example, as mechanism for stopping the loom or changing the filling-carrieris put in operation by the energizing of an electromagnet; and my invention consists in the construction and arrangementof parts, as hereinafter described, and set forth in the annexed claims.

Referring to the drawings, 1 denotes the end of a lathe; 2, a shuttle-box mounted thereon; 3, a shuttle contained in the shuttle-box; 4 and 4, a pair of metallic blades carried by the lathe and forming electrical brushes, with their free ends overhanging the shuttle-box and adapted to be brought in contact with metal contact-plates 5 and 6 on the outside of the shuttle-body. Pivoted within the shuttle-body and projecting into the bobbin-chamher 7 is a spindle 8, adapted to carry a weft bobbin or cop, as shown by the broken lines 9, Fig. 3. The spindle 8 is pivoted on a pin 10 and is held in its normal position bya blade-spring 11, attached to the shuttle-body and pressing against the projecting arm 12 on the spindle in the usual and well-known manner in shuttles of this class. Inserted in the body of the shuttle and below the spindle 8 is a pin 13, on which is placed a rocking sleeve 14, having a radially-projecting arm 15, hearing against the end of a spiral spring 16, inserted in a recess in the shuttle-body. To the under side of the sleeve 14 I attach a blade or feeler 17 by means of a screw 18, arranged to bear against the weft on the cop 9 by means of the pressure of the spiral springs 10 acting against the arm l5. The spindle S is provided with a boss 19 or suitable enlargemen t to receive the adjusting-screw 20, which is preferably provided with a check-nut 21, with the point 22 of the screw projecting below the spindle 8 and in thepath of the feeler 17 as the weft is removed from the cop.

The brushes 4 and 4 are connected with the opposite poles of a battery or other source of an electrical current, and as the shuttle passes into the box the contact-plates 5 and 6 come into contact with the brushes 4: and at and are brought into an electric circuit. The contact-plate 6 is electrically connected by a wire 24 with the pin 13,0n which the sleeve 1 L is journaled, and the contact-plate 5 is electrically connected by'a wire 23. with the pin 10, on which the spindle Sis pivoted, so that when the contact-plates 5 and 6 are brought into contact with the brushes 4 and 4 the feeler 17 and the end 22 of the screw 20 form the two terminals of an electric circuit. The feeler 17 extends into the bobbin-chamber beneath the spindle 8, so that when the spindle S is rocked on the pin 10 and broughtinto elevated position to receive the cop in the usual manner the feeler 17 will be held by the pressure of the spiral spring in the path of the cop or bobbin as it is carried into the bobbin-chamber by the depression of the spindle 8 and will be forced by its contact with the weft into the position shown by the broken lines 25, with the feeler pressing against the weft on the cop or bobbin. As the weft is removed in the operation of weaving the feeler 17 approaches the spindle Suntil it comes in contact with the end 22 of the screw 20, thereby connecting the two terminals of the electric circuit. The screw 20 is so adjusted in the spindle that a contact will be formed between the screw and the feeler while some of the weft still remains upon the spindle 8 in order that the operation of weaving may not be interrupted.

In the accompanying drawingslhave shown a shuttle having a pivoted metallic spindle upon which the bobbin or cop is supported, as this type of shuttle is in common use; but I do not confine myself to the specific form of shuttle shown nor to the employment of a pivoted metallic spindle, as any known form of metallic weft carrier or support capable of presenting the contact-point to the yielding blade or feeler, and thereby forming one of the terminals of an electric circuit, may be employed in place of the spindle.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

I. In an electric-circuit closer forlooms, the combination with a shuttle-body and a weftcarrier held in said shuttle-body, of a yielding blade, or feeler, arranged to bear against the weft, an adjusting-screw held by the weftcarrier in the path of said blade, or feeler, as the weft is removed and means for bringing said blade, or feeler, and said screw into an electric circuit, whereby said circuit is completed by the contact of said blade, or feeler, and said screw, substantially as described. I

2. In an electric-circuit closer forlooms, the combination of a shuttle-bod y provided with a bobbin-chamber, a Weft-carrier, means for holding the weft-carrier in said chamber with one end free to deliver the weft therefrom, said means forming one of the terminals of an electric circuit, a blade, or feeler, pivoted at one end and arranged to bear against the weft held on said weft-carrier, said blade, or feeler, forming the other terminal of the electric circuit and extending longitudinally into said bobbin-chamber and in the path of and to be moved on its pivot by the weft-carrier as it is inserted in said chamber, said terminals being held out of contact by the weft and to come into contact as the weft is removed, substantially as described.

3. In an electric-circuit closerforlooms, the combination of a shuttle-body, a weft-carrier supported by said shuttle-body to deliver weft from the end thereof, a contact-point carried by said Weft-carrier and forming one of the terminals of an electric circuit, a yield-- ing blade or feeler adjacent said weft-carrier and forming the opposite terminal of the circuit, said blade or feeler lying longitudinal of said shuttle-body and adapted to be moved by the weft as the weft-carrier is placed in position in the shuttle-body.

4. In an electric-circuit closer forlooms, the

combination of a shuttle-body having a bobbin-chamber, a spindle pivoted in the shuttlebod y for carrying the weft and provided with a contact-point, a pin held in the shuttlebody, a sleeve capable of rocking on said pin, a blade attached to said sleeve, a spring acting to press said blade against the weft and carry it into contact with said point as the weft is-removed, said blade and said point forming the terminals of an electric circuit, substantially as described.

5. In an electric-circuit closer for looms, the combination with a shuttle-body provided with a chamber, a weft-carrier to deliver the weft from the end thereof, an exposed and ad- 3' ustable contact-point applied to said carrier, and means to complete the circuit through said adjustable point as the weft approaches complete exhaustion. 1

6. In an electric-circuit closer forlooms, the combination of a shuttle-body, a weft-carrier supported thereby, a contact-point applied to said carrier at one end of and beyond the weft-supporting surface of the carrier to be exposed at all times, and means to complete the circuit through said contact-point as the weft approaches exhaustion.

7. In an electric-circuit closer forlooms, the combination of a shuttle-body, a weft-carrier supported thereby, a contact-point applied to said carrier at one end of and beyond the weft-supporting surface of the carrier to be exposed at all times, a yielding feeler adapted to bear upon the weft on the weft-carrier and to contact with said contact-point to complete the circuit as the weft approaches exhaustion.

8. In an electric-circuit closer forlooms, the combination of a shuttle-body, a weft-carrier supported thereby, an exposed contact carried by the weft-carrier, a feeler adapted to bear upon the Weft on the said carrier and to form electrical connection with said exposed contact as the weft approaches exhaustion.

9. In an electric-circuit closer for looms, the combination of a shuttle-body, a weft-carrier supported thereby, an exposed and adjustable contact carried by the weft-carrier, a feeler adapted to bear upon the weft on the said carrier and to form electrical connection with said exposed contact as the weft approaches exhaustion.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in presence of two subscribing witnesses, this the 24th day of January, 1900.

HARRY \V. SMITH.

Witnesses:

RUFUS B. FOWLER, AVA T. MURPHY. 

